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The Pope has begged for forgiveness for senior figures who have covered up church abuse during his visit to Ireland, as he is accused of ignoring allegations of paedophilia against a disgraced priest.

Addressing a crowd of thousands at the final Mass of his visit in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Pope Francis apologised and made an extended plea for forgiveness.

“We ask forgiveness for the times that we did not show survivors compassion or the justice they deserve in the search for the truth," he said.

"We ask forgiveness for members of the Church hierarchy who did not take care of these situations and kept quiet."

He also mentioned the Church's failure to take "concrete actions" to tackle abuse, a criticism that survivors have repeatedly raised this week.

But he did not suggest any specific measures during his two-day visit to Ireland, which was dominated by protests over abuse in the Church.

Pope Francis waves to the faithfull as he arrives to lead the Holy Mass at Phoenix Park in DublinCredit:
BEN STANSALL/AFP

The events coincided with the Phoenix Park Mass, for which organisers said half a million people had tickets.

Thousands cheered and waved to the Popemobile as it passed through the park but it did not appear that all the space was filled, with entire areas empty of spectators. Some estimates put attendance as low as 150,000.

Earlier, speaking at the Marian shrine in Knock on the second and final day of his visit, Pope Francis said no-one could be failed to be moved by stories of young abuse victims who were "robbed of their innocence" and "left scarred by painful memories".

Pope Francis arrives prior to the commencement of the closing mass of his Ireland visit at the Phoenix Park in DublinCredit:
Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

He said: "This open wound challenges us to be firm and decisive in the pursuit of truth and justice.

"I beg the Lord's forgiveness for these sins and for the scandal and betrayal felt by so many others in God's family,” he said.

His comments came after a letter released by a former Vatican ambassador accused him of covering up allegations against a cardinal of sexually abusing children.

He said the measures, including forbidding the then-cardinal to celebrate Mass in public and requiring him to leave the seminary where he was living, had been implemented as early as 2009 or 2010 but were lifted by Pope Francis around the time of his election in 2013.

The 11-page testament was released on Saturday night by the Archbishop, who also said the Pope made McCarrick "his trusted counselor".

McCarrick was suspended from public ministry earlier this year on the Pope's orders after an investigation by the New York diocese found allegations of abusing a minor were "credible and substantiated".

McCarrick, 88, who has maintained his innocence, later resigned from the College of Cardinals.

On Sunday night, Pope Francis refused to confirm of deny the claims he covered up the allegations.

Francis said the text by Archbishop Vigano, which reads as a homophobic manifesto and attack on Francis allies in parts, "speaks for itself" and that he wouldn't comment on it.

Francis was asked the dossier during an airborne press conference on his return trip from Ireland, if Vigano's claims that the two discussed McCarrick in 2013 were true.

The pope was also asked about Vigano's claims that McCarrick was already under sanction at the time, but that Francis rehabilitated him.

Francis said he had read Vigano's document and trusted journalists to judge for themselves and said: "I won't say a word about it."

One of them, Marie Collins, said the Pope’s responses to her questions had been "disappointing".

Clerical abuse survivor Dee Gardener is comforted as a vigil takes place at the site of the mass grave which contained the remains of 796 babies from the Bon Secours Mother and Baby homeCredit:
Charles McQuillan/ Getty Images Europe

Mrs Collins, who is among the survivors who has called for concrete action to deal with abusive priests and cover-ups, said the Pope said he saw no need for changes to the accountability process, though he admitted it should be more transparent, she told the Tablet.

She was also among thousands attending an event in Dublin's Garden of Remembrance organised by clerical abuse survivor Colm O’Gorman.

The #StandforTruth rally aimed to make victims and survivors of clerical abuse visible during the Pope's visit.

Attendees listened to speakers and music before processing to Sean McDermott Street, the site of one of the last Magdalene Laundries.

A protest also took place at Tuam, Co Galway, where a large crowd marched to the grave site, led by a group of survivors, and the names of 796 babies thought to have been buried there were read out.